Washing machine



'G. S. BLAKESLEE WASHING MACHINE Filed Jan. 2, 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 G. SQBLAKESLEE WASHING MACHINE Filed Jan. 2, 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 3, 1 24. 1,520,112

} G. s. BLAKESLEE WASHING MACHINE Filed Jan. 2, 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 CA-ru.. 31

Dec. 23, 1 4. 1,520,112

G. s. BLAKESLEE WASHING MACHINE 'Filed Jan. 2, 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 InUentE? Patented Dec. 23, 1924.

asaaiiz TE r orrier.

Application filed J 'anuary 2, 1920. Serial No. 348,722.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE S. BLAKES- LEE, a citizen of' the United States, and a resident of Oak Park, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Washing Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

y invention relates to washing machines and it hasfor its object to provide an improved machine suitable ifOf thoroughly'cleansing automobile fenders, castings or other fairly heavy articles of more or less irregular shape. In order that the washing and rinsing of such articles may be successfully accomplished it is necessary to provide means by which the water for washing and rinsing purposes can be dashed upon the articles to be Washed from various angles and with considerable force, and it is desirable that means be provided for varying the quantity of water thrown from each of the several directions, to suit the particular type of device being washed, as one article may for effective washi'n require a large volume of water thrown rom one angle and another article may require a large volume of water thrown from a different angle. Furthermore, in a machine of this character it is important, as faras possible, to prevent the wash water from contaminating the rinsing water, and to provide, nevertheless, for moving the articles to be washed regularly through the machine. These requirements are met by the improved machine illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter described, which also embodies several other desirable features of improvement that Will be hereinafter pointed out. What I regard as new is set forth in the claims.

In the drawings,

Figs. 1 and 2 taken together constitute a side view of my improved machine, portions of the side wall of the housing between the washing and rinsing tanks being broken away for clearness of illustration;

Figs. 3 and 4 taken together constltute a top view of the machine shown in F gs. 1 and 2, the driving motors shown in Figs. 1 and 2 being omitted and part of the housing being broken away;

Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-section on an enlarged scale, taken substantially on line 5-5 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a partial longitudinal vertical section, also on an enlarged scale, ta en on line 66 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings,7 indicates a housing comprising awashing tank 8, a rinsing tank 9, and an intermediate portion 10, the floor 11 of which slants downwardly in both directions from a central point so as to draininto the tanks 8 and 9 respectively. This intermediate portion is comparatively long so that the washing and rinsing compartments are well separated from each other and there is no danger of splashing from one to the other. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the top 12 of the housing is discontinued adjacent to the outer ends of the tanks 8 and 9, access being thus afforded to the end portions 13, 14 for the placing in position and removal of the articles being treated. Standards 15 of any suitable type are provided at various con- 'venient points for supporting the tanks and the other portions of the machine.

. Suitable pipes 1 communicate with the tanks 8 and 9 for supplying water or steam thereto, and valves 17 of any suitable type are provided at convenient points for controlling the admission of the water and steam through saidpipes. Drain pipes 18 equipped with valves 19 and overflow .pipes 20 are provided as usual for regulating the level of the water in the tanks.

Each of the tanks 8 and 9 is provided with extensions 21 .at its opposite sides, the bottom walls of which extensions are located some little distance below the level of the water as controlled by the overflow pipes 20,;and in each of said side extensions is located a paddle wheel, as hereinafter described, for throwing water from the tanks 8 and 9 upon the articles to be washed.

For supporting and carrying such articles through the machine while they are being washed. and rinsed, I provide an endless carrier comprising chains 22 and 23 and cross members 24 in the form of narrow flat strips set on edge in spaced relation to each other. The articles to be washed rest on the upper edges of these strips, the

sides of which serve the purpose of deflecting water thrown upward from below, as hereinafter described. Rails 25 are provided along the sides of the housing above the water level for supporting the carrier,

. as best shown in Fig. 5, these rails, in the carrier is guided by rollers 28, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The carrier is driven by an electric motor 29 mounted upon a suitable base 30 above 'the tank 9, as shown in Fig. 2. This motor,

and also the motors employed for driving the water throwing means, as hereinafter described, arepreferably variable speed motors of any approved type, as by employing variable speed motors, the rate of movement through the tank of the artic es to be cleaned, and the volume of water t rown upon them from any direction, may !be varied to suit the requirements of any particular occasion, as will be readily understood.

The train of mechanism between the motor 29 and the endless carrier comprises a shaft 31 upon which the sprocket wheels 26 at one end of the machine-are mounted, said shaft being driven from another shaft 32 by means of a sprocket chain 33 which runs over sprocket wheels 34 and 35 fixedly mounted upon the shafts 31 and 32 respectively, as is best shown in Fig. 4. The

shaft 32 in turn is driven from a shaft 36 by means of a sprocket chain 37 which connects sprocket wheels 38 and 39 fixed upon the shafts 36 and 32, respectively. The shaft 36 is driven from a shaft 40 by means of intermeshing bevel gears 41 and 42, the shaft 40 being itself driven from -a short shaft 43 by means of spur gears 44 and 45, as shown inFig. 2. The shaft 43 in turn is driven by a belt 46 which runs over a pulley 47 mounted upon said shaft, and over a driving pulley 48 on the armature shaft of the motor 29. In the construction shown, there is a speed reduction between each pair of pulleys, gears, and sprocket wheels in the trainof mechanism between the motor 29 and the shaft 31.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the shaft 40 extends substantially to the opposite end of the machine where the speed reduction transmission mechanism above-described is duplicated for applying power also to the opposite end portion of the carrier. It is not believed to 'be necessary to describe such duplicated mechanism in detail, and T have accordingly applied the same reference numerals to the corresponding parts at that end of the machine. By applying power to both ends of the endless carrier, the carrier is to a large extent relieved of tensile strain, which is particularly advantageous in a machine designed to handle heavy articles; and by the use of the supporting rails 25 and 27, the weight of the carrier and its load is sustained independently of the chains 22 and 23, which need be made only strong enough to ineet the tensile strain to which they are subjected. By these two expedients, therefore, a very considerable load of comparatively heavy articles may be carried through the machine by means of a carrier of fairly light construction.

The paddle wheels hereinbefore referred to as being located in the side extensions 21 of the housing 7 are illustrated in Fig. 5, those at one side of the machine being indicated by the numeral 49. The paddle wheels 49 at both ends of the machine are supported upon shafts 50 mounted in said side extensions and connected together by means of a shaft 51, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, and said paddle wheels are adapted to be driven in counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 5 so that they act to throw water from their respective tanks over and downward'upon the articles carried by the carrier. The mechanism for driving these paddle wheels comprises. a gear 52 fixed upon one of the shafts 50, with which meshes a pinion 53 fixed upon a counter shaft 54, as shown in Fig. 3. This shaft is driven by a belt 55 which runs over a pulley 56 mounted upon the shaft 54 and a drive pulley 57 on the armature shaft of a motor 58 which is mounted upon a standard 59 above the tank 8. Thus the motor 58 drives both paddle wheels 49 in the same direction.

The paddle wheels at the opposite side of the machine are indicated by the numeral 60. These paddle wheels are arranged op-,

posite the paddle wheels 49, and are mounted upon shafts 61 supported by the side extensions 21 and connected together by a shaft 62 so that they rotate in unison. The paddle wheels are adapted also to be driven in counterclockwise direction as seen in Fig. 5, but as they are at the opposite side of the machine from the paddle wheels 49, they act to throw the waiter upward and across the tank a ainst and through the endless carrier an into contact with the articles carried by it. The mechanism for driving the paddle wheels 60 comprises a gear 63 fixed upon one of the shafts 61 (see Fig. 2) which in turn is driven by a pinion 64 mounted upon a counter shaft 65. The shaft 65 isdriven from a motor 66 mounted upon a standard 67 above the tank 9 by means of a belt I 71 is driven in clockwise direction as seen 68 connecting the driving pulley 69 of the motor with. a pulley 70 mounted upon the shaft 65. ,1

' In addition to the paddle wheels 49 and 60 at the opposite sides of the machine means is provided in each of the tanks 8 and 9 for throwing water directly upward against the under sidesof and around the articles on the carrier. For this purpose I employ transversely disposed paddle wheels 71 and 72 which are placed in the tanks 8 and 9, respectively, adjacent to the inner ends of the paddle wheels 49, 60 and with their lower portions extending down into the water, as shown in Fig. 6. The paddle wheels 71,72

are mounted on transversely-extending shafts'73 which are connected together for rotation in opposite directions by means of a twisted belt 74 operating. upon pulleys 7 5 and 76 mounted upon the said shafts, as,

shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The paddle wheel in Fig. 6 by means of a belt 77 which connects a pulley 78 carried by the shaft 73 with the driving pulley 79 of an electric motor 80 mounted upon a standard 81 above the tank 8. As shown in Fig. 4, the paddles or blades of the paddle wheel 72, which is driven in the reverse direction .from that of the paddle wheel 71, face in the opposite direction so that both transverse paddle wheels operate to throw water upward and inward through the endless carrier upon the lower surfaces of the articles carried thereby. Transverse deflector plates 82 are provided in'connection 'withthe paddle wheels 71 and 72 for directing the water from said wheels upward. The strips 24 of the carrier also serve as deflectors, since the water thrown by the paddle wheels 71, 72 strikes their sides and is thereby through the carrier. 7

By placing the tanks 8, 9 a considerable distance apart and providing the inclined intermediate fioor 11 between them the danger of splashing wash water into the rinsing.

tank is avoided notwithstanding the fact that the agitation of the water in bothtanks is very violent. Whatever water falls on the floor 11 is returned to one or the other of said tanks by reason of the inclination of the floor. By providing the'separate motors for driving difl'erent paddle wheels said paddle wheels may be started and stopped independently of 'each other or may be run at different rates of speed so that the quantity of water thrown from each of several directions may be varied to suit the particular type of device being washed.

What I claim as myinvention and desire to secure by Letters Patents, is-

' 1. A washing machine, comprising a tank,

a conveyor movable, substantially horizontally thereover, paddle wheels at one side thereof for throwing water from said tank directed upward upon the articles to be washed, a transversely disposed paddle wheel under the path of such articles for throwing water from said tank upward against the-same, and separate means for driving said paddle wheels whereby they may be started or stopped independently of each other.

2. A washing machine, comprising a tank, an endless conveyor movable substantially horizontally thereover, saidconveyor comprising endless chains and a plurality of perpendicularly disposed. cross-bars connected with said chains, said cross-bars bein adapted to support the articles to be washe rails extending over said tank and supporting said chains, means for applying power to said conveyor to drive the same, a paddle wheel adapted to throw water from said tank against the articles carried by said conveyor, and means for driving said paddle wheel.

3. A washing machine, comprising a tank, an endless conveyor movable substantially horizontally thereover, prising endless chains and a plurality of perpendicularly disposed cross-bars connected. with said chains, said cross-bars bein adapted to support the articles to be washe rails extending over said tank and supporting said chains, means for applying power to said conveyor to drive the same, a paddle wheel at one side of the tank and having its axis disposed longitudinally throwing-water from said tank laterally and downwardnpon. the articles to be washed, and means for driving said paddle wheel.

,4. A washing machine, comprising a tank, an endless conveyor movable substantially horizontally thereover, said. conveyor comprising endless chains and perpendicularly disposedcross-bars connected with said chains, said cross-bars be adapted to support the articles to be wash e f, rails extending over said tank and supporting said chains, means for applying power to said conveyor path of such articles for throwing water from said tank upward against thesame, and means; for driving said paddle wheel. 5. A washing machine, comprising a tank, an endless conveyor movable substantially horizontally thereover, said conveyor comprising endless chains and a plurality of perpendicularly disposed cross-bars connected with said chains, said cross-bars bein adapted to support the articles to be washe rails extending over said tank and supporting said chains, means for applying power to said conveyor to drive the same, a paddle wheel at one side of said tank'and having its axis disposed longitudinally thereof for throwing water from said tank downward upon the articles to be washed,

laterallyand I said conveyor com thereof for a plurality of Ill a transversely disposed paddle wheel under the path of such articles for throwing water from said tank upward against the same, and means for driving said paddle wheels.

6. A washing machine comprising a tank adapted to contain wash water, a carrier extending across said tank, a paddle wheel extending down into the water at one side of said carrier, a transversely-positioned paddle wheel below said carrier, and independent driving devices for driving "said paddle wheels.

7. A washing machine comprising a tank adapted to contain wash water, a carrier adapted to convey articles to be washed over said tank above the surface of the water therein, means at opposite sides of the tank for throwing water therefrom against the articles on said carrier, independent drivingdevices for driving the water throwing means at the opposite sides of the machine, means below the carrier for throwing water from said tank upward through the carrier, and an independent driving device for driving the latter water throwing means.

8; A washing machine comprising tanks adapted to contain washing and rinsing water, respectively, a carrier adapted to convey articles to be washed over said tanks above the surface of the water therein, paddle wheels at opposite sides of said tanksfor throwing water therefrom against the articles carried by said carrier, means connecting together the paddle wheels at the same side of said tanks so that they operate I in unison, paddle wheels in said tanks below the carrier for throwing water from said tanks upward through the carrier, and means connecting the latter paddle wheels together so that they operate 1n unison.

9. A washing machine comprising a tank adapted to contain water, a traveling carrier adapted to support and convey articles to be washed over said tank above the surface of the water therein, said carriercomprising transversely disposed narrow strips set on edge in spaced relation to each other, and a paddle wheel. at one side of the machine for throwing water upward through said carrier and against said transverse strips.

10. A washing machine comprising separated washing and rinsing tanks, a carrier adapted to convey articles to be washed over said tanks above the surface of the water therein, a floor extending under said carrier between said tanks, said floor being inclined downwardly in opposite directions from an intermediate point and arranged to discharge into said washing and rinsing tanks respectively, and means for throwing water from said tanks against the articles on said carrier. I

11. A washingmachine comprising separated washing and rinsing tanks, an endless carrier extending over said tanks above the water therein for conveying articles to be washed over said tanks, a floor extending between said tanks under said carrier, said floor being inclined downwardly in opposite directions from an intermediate point and arranged to discharge into said washing and rinsing tanks respectively, paddle wheels at opposite sides of each of said tanks for throwing water therefrom against the articles on said carrier, and transverse paddle wheels in said tanks below the carrier and between the inner end portions of said tanks and said first-mentioned paddle wheels, for throwing water from saidtanks upward through said carrier.

12. A washing machine comprising separated washing and rinsing tanks, an endless carrier extending over said tanks above the water therein for conveying articles to be washed over said tanks, a floor extending between said tanks under said carrier, said floor being inclined downwardly in opposite directions from an intermediate point and arranged to discharge into said washing and rinsing tanks respectively, paddle wheels at opposite sides of each of said; tanks for throwing water therefrom a ainst the articles on said carrier, rans verse paddle wheels in said tanks below the carrier and between the inner end portions of said tanks and said first-mentioned paddle wheels, for throwing water from said tanks upward through said carrier, and deflectors between said transverse paddle WhtiflS and the inner end portions of said tan s.

GEORGE S. BLAKESLEE. 

